StackPath

StackPath was an American infrastructure technology company focused on bringing computing, content delivery, networking, and security capabilities closer to end users. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, the company positioned itself as an edge computing platform provider, combining services that traditionally had been purchased separately from content delivery networks, cloud infrastructure companies, network-security specialists, and monitoring vendors. The company was founded in 2015 by a team led by Lance Crosby, who had previously co-founded SoftLayer Technologies. SoftLayer was acquired by IBM in 2013, and Crosby's later venture applied experience in large-scale hosting and infrastructure operations to a newer market centered on distributed computing at the network edge. StackPath attracted investment from Abry Partners, Juniper Networks, and Cox Communications. A significant part of StackPath's early growth came through acquisitions. In 2016 it acquired MaxCDN, a content delivery business serving enterprise and smaller commercial customers; Staminus, a provider associated with distributed-denial-of-service mitigation; Fireblade, a web application firewall business; and Cloak, a virtual private network provider. In 2017 StackPath acquired Highwinds Network Group, adding further content delivery and VPN capabilities. It also acquired Server Density, a monitoring company. These transactions gave StackPath a portfolio spanning CDN delivery, application and network security, VPN services, monitoring, and edge infrastructure. The MaxCDN business originated with NetDNA, founded in 2009 by David Henzel and Christopher Ueland in Los Angeles. NetDNA developed enterprise CDN services, launched the video-streaming-oriented HDDN.com brand with Wowza, and later created the MaxCDN brand for a broader customer base. NetDNA consolidated its offerings under the MaxCDN name in 2013, before StackPath acquired the business in 2016. StackPath subsequently narrowed its portfolio. In 2019 it sold its VPN businesses, including IPVanish, obtained through Highwinds, and Encrypt.me, the successor brand to Cloak, to J2 Global. In August 2023, after deciding to cease its content delivery network operations, StackPath sold its CDN business to Akamai. The transaction primarily covered approximately 100 selected enterprise customer contracts and other assets and did not include StackPath personnel or technology. On June 12, 2024, StackPath announced that it would close all products and liquidate its assets. That announcement marked the end of the brand's operating business. StackPath's history reflects the consolidation of several infrastructure categories during the growth of edge computing, as well as the difficulty of sustaining a broad platform portfolio across CDN, cloud, security, VPN, and monitoring markets.

StackPath was established on May 5, 2015, in the United States by a founding team led by Lance Crosby. Crosby was previously associated with SoftLayer Technologies, the hosting company that IBM acquired in 2013. StackPath was created during a period when cloud infrastructure providers were increasingly moving processing, delivery, and security functions away from centralized data centers and toward geographically distributed edge locations. The company pursued an acquisition-led expansion strategy. Its 2016 acquisitions included MaxCDN, Staminus, Fireblade, and Cloak. MaxCDN supplied content delivery capabilities, Staminus added distributed-denial-of-service mitigation, Fireblade contributed web application firewall technology, and Cloak provided VPN services. In 2017 StackPath acquired Highwinds Network Group, expanding its CDN and VPN portfolio. Server Density was also acquired to add monitoring capabilities. MaxCDN itself had developed from NetDNA, a CDN company founded in Los Angeles in 2009 by David Henzel and Christopher Ueland. NetDNA initially concentrated on enterprise customers. In 2010 it worked with Wowza on HDDN.com, a streaming-video CDN brand, and also created MaxCDN as a simpler offering intended for both smaller and larger businesses. NetDNA later consolidated its brands under MaxCDN in 2013, with its original enterprise service becoming MaxCDN Enterprise. StackPath acquired MaxCDN in 2016. Through these acquisitions, StackPath assembled a broad service portfolio covering CDN delivery, edge computing, security, VPN access, and monitoring. Its strategic proposition was to integrate these capabilities into an edge-focused platform rather than operate solely as a conventional hosting or CDN company. The business received investment from Abry Partners, Juniper Networks, and Cox Communications. The portfolio was later reduced. In 2019 StackPath sold its VPN businesses to J2 Global. The divested assets included IPVanish, which had come through Highwinds, and Encrypt.me, the rebranded successor to Cloak. StackPath subsequently decided to cease its CDN operations and in August 2023 sold its CDN business to Akamai. The sale primarily involved approximately 100 selected enterprise customer contracts and other assets; Akamai did not acquire StackPath personnel or technology in the transaction. On June 12, 2024, StackPath announced that it would close all products and liquidate its assets. This announcement ended the company's active commercial operations. The brand's trajectory—from a broad acquisition program to the sale of major service lines and eventual liquidation—illustrates the consolidation and competitive pressure affecting edge infrastructure providers.

• 2024

  Products close and assets are liquidated

  [1]StackPathen.wikipedia.org

  StackPath announced on June 12 that it would close all products and liquidate all assets.

• 2023

  CDN assets are sold to Akamai

  [1]StackPathen.wikipedia.org

  StackPath sold selected CDN contracts and related assets to Akamai after deciding to stop operating its CDN business.

• 2019

  VPN businesses are divested

  [1]StackPathen.wikipedia.org

  StackPath sold IPVanish and Encrypt.me to J2 Global.

• 2017

  Highwinds Network Group is acquired

  [1]StackPathen.wikipedia.org

  StackPath acquired Highwinds Network Group, strengthening its CDN and VPN operations.

• 2016

  StackPath expands through four acquisitions

  [1]StackPathen.wikipedia.org

  The company acquired MaxCDN, Staminus, Fireblade, and Cloak, adding CDN, DDoS mitigation, web application firewall, and VPN capabilities.

• 2015

  StackPath is founded

  [1]StackPathen.wikipedia.org

  StackPath was founded on May 5, 2015, by a team led by Lance Crosby.

A unified edge infrastructure and security provider intended to deliver applications, content, and network services closer to users.

• Edge computing

  StackPath Edge Computing

  StackPath's core strategic category was edge computing: distributed infrastructure intended to place processing and delivery resources closer to users and connected devices. The offering formed part of the company's effort to combine cloud-like infrastructure with CDN and security functions in a geographically distributed platform.

• Content delivery network

  StackPath CDN

  The CDN business delivered web and application content through distributed network infrastructure. It incorporated capabilities associated with acquired businesses including MaxCDN and Highwinds. StackPath decided to cease its CDN operations and sold selected contracts and other assets to Akamai in 2023.

• Content delivery network · 2010

  MaxCDN

  MaxCDN was a CDN brand serving both smaller businesses and enterprise customers. It originated from NetDNA, which had developed enterprise CDN services and a streaming-focused HDDN.com offering. StackPath acquired MaxCDN in 2016 and incorporated its capabilities into the broader platform.

• DDoS mitigation

  Staminus

  Staminus provided distributed-denial-of-service mitigation capabilities. Its acquisition in 2016 broadened StackPath's network protection portfolio and supported the company's effort to combine delivery and security services at the edge.

• Web application firewall

  Fireblade

  Fireblade was a web application firewall business acquired by StackPath in 2016. The acquisition added application-layer protection to StackPath's wider infrastructure-security offering.

• Virtual private network

  VPN services

  StackPath operated VPN-related businesses obtained through the acquisitions of Cloak and Highwinds Network Group. Cloak's service later became Encrypt.me, while IPVanish came through Highwinds. StackPath sold these VPN lines to J2 Global in 2019.

• Infrastructure monitoring

  Server Density

  Server Density was a monitoring business acquired by StackPath. Its capabilities complemented StackPath's infrastructure portfolio by providing visibility into servers and services.

• 2024

  Closure and liquidation of the businessStrategy

  Background

  After divesting its VPN lines and CDN business, StackPath announced that it would end its remaining product operations.

  Action taken

  On June 12, 2024, the company announced the closure of all products and liquidation of all assets.

  Aftermath

  StackPath ceased operating as an active edge computing and infrastructure provider.

  Source

• 2023

  Sale of selected CDN assets to AkamaiM&A

  Background

  StackPath decided to cease its content delivery network operations.

  Action taken

  In August 2023, StackPath sold its CDN line of business, primarily approximately 100 selected enterprise customer contracts and other assets, to Akamai.

  Aftermath

  The transaction did not include StackPath personnel or technology and represented a major withdrawal from the CDN market.

  Source

• 2019

  Divestiture of VPN operationsM&A

  Background

  StackPath had accumulated VPN services through Cloak and Highwinds Network Group, but later reduced the breadth of its portfolio.

  Action taken

  The company sold IPVanish and Encrypt.me to J2 Global.

  Aftermath

  The transaction removed StackPath's VPN lines of business and left the company more focused on edge, CDN, and infrastructure services.

  Source

1. 1StackPathen.wikipedia.org